Tuesday, December 3, 2013

People often ask me why I’ve set two of my novels in Canada
while I live in down south in Texas. I guess the simple answer is I love the
remote wilderness and Canada has plenty of it. It is also rich with Native
American legends about mysterious creatures that inhabit those woods. My novel Dead of
Winter is set in Ontario and builds an epic mystery around the Wendigo
legend.

My new novel The Devil’s
Woods is set in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia. In the novel,
there’s an ancient forest that exists at the back of a Cree Indian reservation
that is completely unknown to most of the world. But the Cree people have
feared it for centuries. They call it Macâya Forest. Animals stay clear of it
too. The townspeople of a nearby logging town called Hagen’s Cove know that
those woods are responsible for the countless people who have been disappearing
around those parts since the 1800s.

My story’s main character is Kyle Elkheart. He’s half Cree
and was born on the reservation. When he was a child, his parents got divorced
and his white mother moved Kyle and his brother, Eric, and sister, Shawna, to
Seattle to live with an abusive stepfather. Now, all three of the Elkheart kids
are adults trying to make it in the world. When they learn that their Cree
father has disappeared, Kyle and his brother and sister fly a seaplane to the
Canadian wilderness. Traveling with them are Eric’s girlfriend, Jessica, and
Shawna’s boyfriend, Zack. When the five arrive at the Cree village set deep in
the wilderness, Kyle begins to see clues to an unsolved mystery that spans
decades and he learns the real reason why his tribe fears Macâya Forest.

As for why I write about Canada ... well, while living in
Texas is nice, we don’t have mountains here and there are no ancient forests
where man has not tread. I once traveled to British Columbia, visiting
Vancouver and Whistler and I’ve hiked around the Rocky Mountains. The mountain country
north of the U.S. border is breathtaking and a beautiful place to visit in my
mind as type at my keyboard in Dallas. The Canadian wilderness is also so vast
and remote that it’s ominous when you find yourself far away from civilization.
The native tribes feared the legendary creatures of the forest. And if you
enter the Devil’s Woods, you will discover there are some places in the world
where man is considered prey.

The Devil's Woods is now available at Amazon and everywhere books are sold.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

A few weeks back, I had the great opportunity to
meet up with author Jeff Dawson for lunch and talk about books, publishing, and
a whole lot more. Over cheeseburgers, fries and giant onion rings, Jeff
enthralled me with story after story about his life and his incredible
knowledge of WWII. He was also gracious enough to give me a copy of his WWII
vampire novel, Occupation.
That’s right; the book combines sinister Nazis against vampires you can root
for in one hell of a great story. Today, I’m interviewing Jeff so you can get
to know him, as well.

Brian:
Jeff, welcome to my blog. It’s a real treat to interview a fellow author who
has combined two of my favorite subjects: horror and WWII history. Tell us
about your vampire vs. Nazis thriller, Occupation.
What’s the story about?

Jeff: Plain
and simple; evil versus evil. The story follows the historical events of
Germany invading Poland September 1st, 1939. When the Nazis start
implementing their plan of shipping off the undesirables, they have no idea
they are stealing the food supply of two warring vampire clans: The Romanovs
and Boirarskys. Will the clans continue to fight amongst themselves, or combine
and take on a force more evil than themselves: the Third Reich? Caution, if you’re
a fan of Twilight, the only thing
sparkling in this work is the moonlight reflecting off the mutilated bodies of
the SS.

Brian:
The vampires are obviously fictional, but does where the story takes place
relate to any true events in WWII Poland?

Jeff: Yes.
The Nazis set-up Krakow as the capitol of the General Government in Occupied
Poland. Many of the Jewish residents were shipped to nearby Auschwitz and other
camps.

Brian:
I know you’re a huge war buff and that your shelves are filled with nonfiction
history books. So what inspired you to come up with a horror story that mixes
real WWII history with vampires?

Jeff: An
interesting question. I didn’t come up with the idea, rather two women did. The
lady taking care of my mom suggested I write a love story about WWII. Nope, not
happening. Saw Enemy at the Gates and
was very disappointed. Seriously? A love story in Stalingrad. No! I called my
deceased’s fiancé’s daughter Jessica and asked her if vampires were still big.
She convinced me they were. So, for two or three months I thought about
combining the two in a believable historical scenario. The result: Occupation.

Brian:
As someone who has done countless research for a historical novel, I’m curious
how much research you had to do for this book? Did you go over to Poland? Did
you study vampire lore? Or did you just tap into that encyclopedia mind of
yours and let your imagination run wild?

Jeff: The
later would be true. I haven’t traveled to Poland until recently; never read a
vampire novel in my life. I tapped into the memory banks and let the story
flow.

Brian:
I read somewhere that when you were in school you used to shoot war films. Tell
us a bit about that. Did it pave the way for you to become a storyteller?

Jeff: Yeah, a
couple of my buddies, back in junior high, shot a few short 8mm films. To say
the least, they were really bad. Yes, I still have them. I wouldn’t say they
launched me into storytelling, just the opposite. We took our stories and
valiantly attempted to put them on film. Steven Spielberg has nothing to fear.

Brian:
Before being an author, you worked for years in road construction. Tell us a
bit about what that job was like. What made you switch careers to writing
books?

Jeff: I’ll
keep it toned down, since this is the family hour. If you like working outside
in 110+ temps or even the bone-chilling 20 degree delight, sign on and be
prepared to be called every wonderful accolade Webster’s Dictionary can’t print. At times it was a thankless
profession because the average driver looked at us with disdain and contempt.
“Hey, we’re only trying to help the flow of traffic. Take a pill.” Those
comments were usually greeted with the one finger salute. “Back atcha, buddy.”

Back surgery
in 2010 derailed the construction career, so I took up writing.

Brian:
You’ve written a number of others books for different genres? Give us a brief
synopsis of each of those books. Which book is your favorite?

Jeff: My
favorite is Love’s True Second Chance,
a memoir about my high school sweetheart. We reunited in Jan of 2009. Seven
months later her breast cancer returned with a vengeance. The story chronicles
the love we shared.

Why Did Everything Happen?This is
another memoir/autobiography. How many times have we found ourselves wondering
why our lives didn’t follow the path we laid out. That question was answered
August 29, 2009 at a small cemetery in Seagoville, TX.

Terror at the Sterling.The story is
loosely based on actual events. Mel Thornton is given orders from the new GM,
Cheryl, to evict two hookers. The eviction plunges him back into the ’70s and
an unsolved murder. Think vampire/zombies. Will Mel live to tell the secrets of
the past?

Gateway: Pioche:How about an unconventional time travel/sci
fi/political thriller with a touch of the Vegas mob thrown in? The co-author
Larry Welch pitched the idea to me in March of 2012. The story revolves around
four Stanford grads, Muki, Larry, Judith and Abdul. After six years of studying
and obtaining two Masters Degrees, the kids decide to take a vacation across
the United States before joining the work force. First stop, Vegas with the
hopes of earning extra cash for the trip. Their winnings don’t go unnoticed by
local mob boss Nathan Francisco. The kids find themselves in deadly pursuit,
leading them to a military complex NE of Pioche, NV.

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1QzqlXv9Pg

Destination D.C. is the 2nd
in the series. In hopes of getting the vacation back on track, our intrepid
travelers find themselves enmeshed in a plot by the Fourth Reich to overthrow
the U.S. Government.

Brian:
Sounds like you’ve written a wide variety of books for all sorts of readers. There
are many aspiring writers out there looking for ways to be more successful at
completing books. Can you share your writing schedule and offer some success
secrets to create time to write?

Jeff: Like
any job, you’ve got to work at it and keep pushing yourself, because no one
else will. If you don’t work well on your own or are undisciplined, this might
not be a career you want to enter. I try and write each day, but that doesn’t
always happen. Many say you need to write even if it’s bad. If it’s bad, why
write? I wait for the characters to let me know they are ready for the story to
continue. When this happens, I can crank out between 2,000 to 5,000 words in a
day.

Brian: I share your same theory. When I’m writing bad
stuff because the words aren’t flowing right, it feels like a waste of time. I
may write a sentence or paragraph to keep me connected to what I’m writing, but
mostly the books I’ve accomplished have come on days when my characters are
letting me know it’s time to write and then I can write 2500+ words a day.

Jeff: Discipline
is the key here. It’s so easy to walk around aimlessly, turn on the TV, or
fiddle in the garage. None of those will get word one on paper. SIT down and do
it. Stop procrastinating or worrying if it’s going to be any good. DO IT! Will
you make mistakes? Of course. It’s the mistakes which make us better. One other
thing, do not give up and if you’re serious. Patience and perseverance will pay
off.

Brian: Good advice. Any new books on the forefront, like
a sequel to Occupation or something
in the same WWII horror genre?

I’m working
on sequels to Occupation and Target Berlin: the third in the Gateway
series. With luck, I’ll release a poetry book in time for Christmas

Brian: Jeff, it’s been an honor having you as a guest
author. I look forward to talking with you again soon. For anyone looking for a
fascinating read, get yourself a copy of Occupation
today. In this supernatural thriller, the evil Nazis have finally met their
match. Find out what happens when they start taking away the vampires’ food
supply.

I
spent twenty-five years in the wonderful world of road construction. Back
surgery in 2010 put the skids on that career. My body couldn't handle the
rigors of twelve to sixteen hour days, six to seven days a week anymore. As I
convalesced, licking my wounds, I wondered what to do next. Not being out in
the sun getting baked, or dodging traffic, was going to be a hard act to
follow. Seriously, what else did I know? An article in the Dallas Morning News
caught my eye. It was about being a professional speaker. Hmm. That sounds
interesting. Becoming mobile again, I took a seat in front of the blank
monitor, pondering what to write.

Let's
start with something we know: my life. The first work was titled God's Plan: A Glimpse Into One's Life. I
re-titled it six months later to Why Did
Everything Happen? This is a look back at the last twenty-five years and
how the death of my partner, father and true love affected my life. I was
amazed at the revelations. Since then, I've moved on to write in several
different genres. Some say I should change my name when diverting from the
path. Well, right or wrong, I'm sticking with my name. The current works range
from the love story of my one true love: Debbie Beck--RIP 7-20-2009, an
alternate historical perspective of Vampires and WWII, a newly released Sci-Fi
time travel adventure to Baseball Coaching Manuals. Granted, not every book I
write is for everyone. I understand that, but I hope I'm showing readers diversity
can be a good avenue.

I
currently live in the DFW area (Dallas-Ft. Worth), spending a lot of time with
my daughter, her girls and my oldest son. When I was in construction, I never
had or took the time to enjoy what surrounded me: love, family and friends. My
true love, Debbie, and her girls reminded me what was important in life;
"we work to live, not live to work."

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About Me

Welcome!
Thanks for visiting. I'm a fiction writer who lives in Texas in the wonderful city of Dallas. I write supernatural horror. I enjoy mixing genres with history, romance, mystery, and nail-biting, dark suspense. My novels are DEAD OF WINTER, SHADOWS IN THE MIST, THE DEVIL'S WOODS, and novellas THE WITCHING HOUSE, DARKNESS RISING, and THE VAGRANTS. When not writing, I enjoy world travel, hiking, kayaking, reading, movies, and watching sports. My mission is to entertain and thrill millions of readers around the world.